The present invention generally relates vehicle electrical systems and more particularly to an improved junction box assembly having a conductive terminal that provides the user of the vehicle with a convenient and readily grippable point to which the positive lead of a jumper cable may be attached during jump-starting operations.
For nearly a century, the internal combustion engine of automotive vehicles have been started with electric starters. In a typical automotive vehicle, the electric starter is coupled to an electrical system that includes a battery for storing electrical energy and an electrical energy generating device, such as an alternator, which is employed to charge the battery. In situations where the level of energy that is stored in the battery drops below that which is required to operate the electric starter, as when the vehicle""s headlights are left on for an extended period of time while the vehicle is not running, the vehicle operator will not be able to start the internal combustion engine of the vehicle in the normal manner (i.e., by simply rotating a key switch). In such situations, it is relatively common to jump-start the vehicle, wherein a set of jumper cables are employed to electrically couple the vehicle battery to a booster battery. The booster battery may be the battery of another vehicle or the battery of a self-contained jump-start unit.
In late model vehicles, it was fairly common for the batteries to have tapered cylindrical post-like terminals extending from a top surface of the battery. The positioning of the post-like terminals and the battery cables that were attached to them rendered the task of coupling the positive jaw of a set of jumper cables to the battery a relatively simple and easy task. In modern vehicles, however, the battery typically employs flush-mount terminals that incorporate a female-threaded boss to which the battery cables are coupled. Further complicating matters, these terminals are typically mounted on the side of the battery and the battery is frequently compactly packaged within the engine compartment such that it is surrounded by various components so that access to the terminals can be extremely difficult.
Another consideration when jump-starting a vehicle concerns the oxygen and hydrogen gases that are produced during the charging of the battery. If a spark is generated in the immediate vicinity of the battery, it is possible for these gases to ignite. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a remotely located, conveniently located terminal to which the positive jaw of a jumper cable set could be securely coupled when jump-starting a vehicle.
In one preferred form, the present invention provides an electrical junction box assembly having a junction box, a jump-start terminal and a conductive positive terminal. The junction box defines a mounting aperture and includes a bus bar. The jump-start terminal is disposed in the mounting aperture and includes a blade portion that is configured to be gripped by a jaw of a jumper cable. The jump-start terminal also defines a coupling aperture. The conductive positive terminal has a head portion and a threaded portion, wherein the head portion is disposed in the coupling aperture and matingly engaged to the jump-start terminal to prevent relative rotation therebetween. The threaded portion, which is formed along a terminal axis, extends from the head portion and is adapted to electrically couple the conductive positive terminal to a positive conductor of an associated battery cable. The threaded portion of the conductive positive terminal extends through the bus bar and the bus bar abuts both the head portion of the conductive positive terminal and the jump-start terminal.
In another preferred form, the present invention provides an electrical junction box assembly having a junction box, a mounting aperture, a jump-start terminal and a conductive positive terminal. The junction box has a lower case and a circuit board, which includes a board member that is constructed of an electrically insulating material. The mounting aperture formed into one of the lower case and the board member. The jump-start terminal has a mounting portion and a blade portion. The mounting portion is received into the mounting aperture such that the one of the lower case and the board member inhibits rotation of the jump-start terminal relative to the junction box. The blade portion has a pair of opposite faces that are generally parallel one another. The conductive positive terminal is in direct contact with the jump-start terminal and is adapted for electrical connection to a positive conductor of a battery cable. The conductive positive terminal is spaced apart from the blade portion of the jump-start terminal.